


Warm Rain

by Jimmy_Rustled_Bird



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: (Almost) Everyone Lives AU, Adventure, Black Mage Headcanons, F/M, Freezing, Friendship, Gen, Hugs, Mingxia Jiang, Mostly friendship, Pairing if you Squint, mild hypothermia, warm hugs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-01-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:27:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22383325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jimmy_Rustled_Bird/pseuds/Jimmy_Rustled_Bird
Summary: A roughly average day in the lives of adventurers, featuring a spontaneous stroper extermination in South Shroud, dinner at a tavern and a sudden, heavy rain (which is apparently normal for the Twelveswood).
Relationships: Foulques & Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Foulques/Original Female Character, Foulques/Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 15





	Warm Rain

“How many more of these things  _ are _ there?!” Mingxia yelled over the screeches of the stropers they were fighting to clear out. It seemed endless- for each one they took down, two more seemed to spring up out of nowhere. The area resounded with the cacophony of battle and the smell of burning stroper.

"What, worn out already?" Foulques answered as he yanked his spear out of a stroper's maw.

"Not really- the hells you think _ you're _ doing?!" Mingxia screeched as she shot a Fire into one that was trying to eat her. She gagged at the stench. "'S getting just a  _ mite _ annoying though!"

Foulques casually fanned the air in front of his nose as he charged towards his next target. "It is good then-" he swiftly executed his three-strike attack combination and brought down another one, "that we are clearing these out  _ before _ we take supper." 

"Right?" Mingxia blasted off another Fire. "Transp-"

" _ Reeeeee! _ " The stropers screeched and began to retreat, signalling the end of the job.

" _ Finally _ ," Mingxia groaned. The two orbs of astral fire faded out of existence. "Oh, bugger me- thanks." A moogle dropped a small sack of gil into her pack.

"Thank you for your service kupo!" The moogle replied, fluttering away to pay the other adventurers. Despite being almost tired enough to pass out standing up, Mingxia began hopping from one foot to the other.

“Sure thing!” Mingxia answered, still bouncing.

“You certainly have a lot of energy,” Foulques remarked, clipping his spear to his back and coming over.

“Iiii actually don’t,” Mingxia singsonged back, rubbing her arms. “I feel about ready to keel over right now.”

Foulques looked her up and down. "Pardon my disbelief. If you are as tired as you claim, then why do you look as though you have caught your second wind?"

"Because," Mingxia started as they walked (Foulques walked, Mingxia more...jigged and bounced) through the Shroud. "Because. I'm cold."

"You are cold. After using fire magic." Foulques stated in disbelief. As they walked, Mingxia stopped hopping and started shivering, though it was barely noticeable.

"Yep." She popped the 'p'. "I might borrow some natural aether for more destructive spells, but for the small ones, I use my own. Soulstone helps focus it so I get more out of the same amount but I ended on astral fire aaaaand I’m pretty close to empty. Ssso I’m sssorta low on fire aether. G-got a t-tonze of everything elsse though sso...yeah kinda c-cold." She rubbed at her arms more vigorously.

They walked to Buscarron's tavern, Mingxia mumbling something about wanting spicy food or a nice warm mead. As they got closer, Mingxia's steps grew slower and shakier until she stopped walking, just able to stand and shiver.

"T'is but a few fulms more," Foulques tried to coax her on. She didn't move, practically gulping in air as if she were trying to suck the fire aether out of it. He tried to nudge her along but hissed at the sensation that met his hand. By the Twelve, she was  _ cold.  _ If she weren't shuddering so violently he'd have mistaken her for a block of ice.

"C-c-c-c-can’ttttt m-m-mmove. T-t-twelvvvve…s-so c-c-cold," she stuttered through chattering teeth. "Sh-should'vvve t-t-transp-p-posed sssooner…"

"Can you not simply hit something with an ice spell to remove the excess?" he asked.

"Y-y-you c-c-crazy? Th-the W-wailers ‘nnn...c-c-conjurers're...everyw-w-where! T-too t-t-t-tired forrr th-that sh-sh-shite!" she stuttered back.

_ Sssssshhhhhhh. _

“B-b-b-bloodyyy hhhhellsssss,” she hissed. “C-c-c-courssse it-t-t-t r-r-r-rainsss!” She would have been glad for the warm shower if it didn’t first feel scalding on her skin and then quickly chill to make her feel even colder. She glanced at Foulques through nearly-shut eyes. If she weren’t so uncomfortable she would have laughed. His hair was plastered to his face and gave him a vague resemblance to a wet dog.

Foulques shook his head, tossing both the extra water and his bangs out of his eyes. He regarded her for a moment and huffed as he came to a decision. “Come here.” He stuck out one arm. Mingxia, by now, was shivering so hard it was starting to hurt, and was only  _ just _ beginning to recover some of her fire aether. She mindlessly shuffled over and stopped a half-fulm from Foulques. “Closer.” She took another step.

And was suddenly enveloped in a comforting warmth. She sighed in relief and instinctively burrowed her face into his shoulder.  _ This is nice. This is very nice. Oh, so warm.  _ Once she felt her limbs unlock, she reached around and hugged onto him. 

Foulques didn’t say anything as he held her and waited for her to stop shaking. It probably lasted only minutes but he found he was losing his sense of time a little bit like this. A Wood Wailer passed by them on the path and turned to look at them. Foulques glared at them, daring them to say something. They didn’t, turning their eyes back to the path and walking on. He nearly jumped when Mingxia hugged him back. Thankfully she didn’t feel like so much of an ice sprite now.

Finally, her shivering stilled. He looked down at her semi-soaked form. “Better?”

She peered up at him, smiling so widely her eyes were almost closed. “Yes. Thank you, Foulques. You’re so warm~”

He had to resist the urge to cover his face. What was it about that smile of hers that was making him feel so  _ odd _ ? “And you are surprisingly chilly.”

“Sorry.”

“T’is of little import. Now, if you’re ready, let’s get to the tavern.” he waved it off.

“Okay. My treat. Since I made you cold when you’re already soaked.”

“I will take you up on that.” Foulques said as they went in.

“You’re not arguing?”

“After we’ve been wandering together this long? I know better.”

“Haha, fair.”

**Author's Note:**

> A little outtake for Let's Be Reasonable. Idea came from BeetleBrownleaf and a one off chat topic of heat sink/heat source.


End file.
